A better-than-expected second-week hold for “Inception” allowed Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending thriller to hold off the heavily-buzzed-about “Salt,” which opened at the lower end of expectations. The estimated numbers are $43.5 million and $36.5M respectively. Based on advance tracking, there were predictions that “Salt” could open closer to the $50 million three-day-figures for Angelina last two action flicks, “Wanted” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”

Still, it’s doubtful that Tom Cruise, who was originally going to star in what was then called “Edwin A. Salt” before he changed his mind, could have done better. There was speculation that the real-life Russian spy case that broke two weeks before “Salt” opened would boost grosses, but history shows offscreen events rarely, if ever, influence the box-office take positively.

Still, $36.5M is nothing to sneeze at, particularly since Jolie (like Cruise and her partner Brad Pitt) is considered to be a bigger draw outside North America. As for Sony’s claim that they brought this elaborate production, with street shooting in NYC including at St. Bart’s, in for “just over $100 million” because of tax breaks, I’d take that with a barrel of…you know what.

The weekend’s other wide opener, also bowed at the lower end of expectations. “Ramona and Beezus,” based on a series of novels that’s been popular for more than half a century, collected around $8 million from Friday to Sunday, finishing in sixth place behind three other films in the crowded family market: “Despicable Me,” “The Sorceror’s Apprentice” and “Toy Story 3” — all of them, unlike “Ramona,” “Salt” and “Inception,” in 3-D on many screens. Even so, $8 million is a good showing for a little movie that Fox allegedly managed to bring in for just $15 million.